KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has expressed confidence that the upcoming visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping will significantly bolster Malaysia-China relations, particularly in trade and regional cooperation.
Speaking ahead of Xi’s official visit from April 15 to 17, Fahmi said Malaysia views the engagement as a milestone moment, underpinned by strong economic ties and a shared vision for closer people-to-people and diplomatic relations.
“China has long been Malaysia’s largest trading partner, and as Asean chair this year, we have a great deal to discuss,” said Fahmi, at the Asean-China Media and Think Tank Forum. “Not only will trade relations be strengthened, but we also expect to deepen cultural and community-level exchanges.”
Fahmi noted that Malaysia hopes to use Xi’s visit to send a clear and consistent message of cooperation, especially in the face of rising geopolitical uncertainty.
“Globalisation is under scrutiny and re-evaluation, particularly after recent announcements from the White House,” he said. “Malaysia believes that longstanding trade ties and multilateral collaboration are the way forward.”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had also cautioned yesterday that the US’ increasingly adversarial stance toward China could have far-reaching implications for Malaysia’s economy and its role within Asean.
Amidst growing economic tensions between the world’s two largest economies, the Biden administration has paused tariffs for 90 days but raised duties on Chinese imports to 125%, up from 104%, in response to China’s 84% retaliatory tariffs on US goods.
China has been Malaysia’s top trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching US$190.24 billion (RM856.08 billion). Key Malaysian exports include integrated circuits, palm oil, computers, and plastic products.
“This visit comes at a critical time, and we hope to build on past achievements to unlock new opportunities for both nations,” Fahmi said.–FMT
